The 60 Most Common Phrasal Verbs in English

In English, a phrasal verb is a phrase such as turn down or ran into which combines two or three words from different grammatical categories: a verb and a particle and/or a preposition together form a single semantic unit.

This semantic unit cannot be understood based upon the meanings of the individual parts, but must be taken as a whole.

For example:

  • She has always looked down on me.
  • Fighting broke out among a group of 40 men.
  • I’ll see to the animals.
  • Don’t put me off, I’m trying to concentrate.
  • The report spelled out the need for more staff.
  • Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie.
  • My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my job.
  • We have to blow 50 balloons up for the party.
  • Somebody broke in last night and stole our stereo.
  • I am counting on you to make dinner while I am out.

Let’s check all that you need to make sentences with phrasal verbs in English


Most Common Phrasal Verbs

This is a list of the most common phrasal verbs in English

Phrasal VerbsMeaningExample
Break DownStop functioningMy car broke down
Bring upMention a topicShe brought up that matter again
Back downwithdraw a positionWe never back down
Beat uppunch and kickI got beat up
Blow up ExplodeThey tried to blow up the station
Bump intoMeet by accidentI bump into my wife at the park
Call offCancelThey call off that meeting
Come acrossfind by chance I was cleaning and I came across my journal
Clean outCleanI was cleaning out the closet
Carry onContinueSorry , carry on talking!
Drop outLeave schoolThey dropped out of college
Drop byVisit We just dropped by her house
Find outdiscoveredI found out that she was pregnant
Get outLeaveYou need to get out of here
Give awayGive something for freeThey are giving away tickets
End upThe end resultI ended up in another school
Get bysurviveI have some money to get by
Get overget wellDave has got over the flu
Get alongbeing good friendsWe get along really well
Get awayEscapeI got away with murder
Get rid ofEliminateI need to get rid of her
Go overReviewI went over the material
Grow upGet olderYou are 21, Grow up
Give upStop tryingThey just gave up
Go outHave a dateDo you want to go out with me?
Hang outSpend timeI am hanging out with my friends
Hurry upDo something fastWe are late, hurry up
Make outKissThey were making out outside the office
Made upInvent a story She made that up to save herself
Mess upto spoilYou are messing things up
Show upArriveAlex didn’t show up
Pass outLose consciousnessShe passed out in front of me
Piss offto  be angryI am really pissed off
Put offPostponeWe put off the meetin until Friday
Put up withlet happenI won’t put up with my sisters 
Put onGet dressedI put on a sweater
Put outExtinguishThe firefighters put out the fire
Run intoMeetI ran into my teacher last week
Run outto use all of itWe are running out of gas
Take offRemove clothingI took off my jacket 
Turn DownLower volumePlease turn it down
Turn downRejectHe was turned down twice
Work outExerciseI am working out right now
Watch outBe awareYou better watch out
Work outfind a solutionWe will work something out
Wake upFinish sleepingI woke up at 9

Questions with the Most Common Phrasal Verbs

These are some common questions that you can make using phrasal verbs

Phrasal Verbs Conversation Questions #1

  1. Has your car ever broken down?
  2. Have you ever turned down a job offer?
  3. Do you like working out?
  4. What time do you usually wake up?
  5. What pisses you off?
  6. Do you get along with your friends?
  7. Do you always get away with what you want?
  8. Have you ever made up a story to save yourself from something?
  9. Who do you like to hang out with?
  10. Do you talk your friends into doing bad things?

Phrasal Verbs Conversation Questions #2

  1. How often do you get together with your high school friends?
  2. Do you know anyone who dropped out of high school or university?
  3. How do you help out your friends and family?
  4. What time do you usually get up?
  5. Where do you like to eat out?
  6. What freaks you out?
  7. Have you ever missed out on a good opportunity?
  8. What bad habits would you like to give up?

Video: Phrasal Verbs

This is a video to learn what the most common phrasal verbs are

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucRVlBKvV94

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Manuel Campos, English Professor

Manuel Campos

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English